THE first public disclosure of the hidden Hillsborough tragedy files may still be 18 months away.

A panel of eight experts, along with the Bishop of Liverpool, are scrutinising hundreds of thousands of documents about the 1989 disaster.

Initially, it was intended to release some previously unseen papers by the spring of this year.

But that proposal is likely to be reworked, with the bulk of the files now being revealed at the end of the two-year process in early 2012.

Today, the first public indication was given that the new Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government was firmly behind the project.

Suggestions were raised that the process could be derailed if Labour lost power at May’s general election.

But the home office told the ECHO the Hillsborough review had the full backing of the new administration.

A spokesman said: “The panel has made a good start on the complex and challenging process of releasing the mass of material relating to the Hillsborough disaster which has remained hidden from the public for more than 20 years.

“Positive and productive work is ongoing between the panel members, the families and public partners, including South Yorkshire police and Sheffield council.

“But full public disclosure will not happen overnight.

“The panel wants to achieve disclosure as quickly as possible, but is absolutely determined to get the process right.”

The Hillsborough families have always stated their wish to have sight of any files before they are made public and that request is likely to be honoured.

Margaret Aspinall, chairwoman of the Hillsborough Family Support Group, said: “We are in agreement about one report at the end of the process, so long as the files are looked at fully.

“We trust the panel implicitly to get on with this mammoth task and we will be meeting them on occasions along the way. Hopefully, it will not take longer than the two years which has been set aside.”

Sheila Coleman, spokeswoman for the Hillsborough Justice Campaign, said: “I would not be surprised if documents were not released as we proceed because it would open them up to people challenging the evidence, which could lead to complications.

“The government wants this to be a smooth exercise.

“The panel are coming to us and asking what to look for, because we are so familiar with it all.

“It would have been an idea to have open access to the files and perhaps have representatives from the different groups.”

The panel members include Hillsborough author Professor Phil Scraton, Liverpool-born journalist Peter Sissons and Katy Jones, who produced Jimmy McGovern’s acclaimed documentary about the tragedy.

They will be presented with volumes of documents arranged and presented by archivists specially employed by Sheffield council.

The committee will meet every month, with the Right Reverend James Jones seeing archivists on a regular weekly basis.

The papers being studied include those from South Yorkshire police, the regional fire and ambulance services, Sheffield Wednesday FC and Sheffield council.

Also being scrutinised are files from West Midlands police, Lord Justice Taylor’s public inquiry papers and Lord Justice Stuart Smith’s inquiry research.

Some of the Hillsborough panel’s work could take place in Liverpool, Sheffield and London.